Running-gear for vehicles.



No. 730,991. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903. H. L. WARNER. RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION I'ILBD JULY 3, 1902.

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E; L. WARNER. RUNNING EEAE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH L. WARNER, or. DAYTON, oruo, ASSIGNOR TO GEO. N. BIERCE, or DAYTON, OHIO.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 730,991, dated June 16, 1903. Application filed July 3, 1902. Serial No. 114,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGH L. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the running-gear of motor-vehicles, and has special reference to that class of gears which are driven from the rear.

Generally speaking, the object of the in vention is to provide a running-gear many of the parts of which are interchangeable, so that the same patterns may be used for both sides of the gear and the cost of construction be thereby reduced.

A further object of the invention is to avoid the use of bent or curved parts in the construe tion of the gear in order that the greatest possible strength may be obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide ways and means for mounting the differential-gear case on the rear frame in a central position or 'on either side of a central position, so that the running-gear may be adapted to a variety of diiferent styles of vehicle-' bodies.

A further object of the invention is to avoid connecting the reaches to the front and rear tubular members in-the usual manner, but by jointedly mounting the said reaches on standards by means of ball-and-socket bearings, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Preceding a detail description of the invention reference is made'to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of my improved running-gear. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the runningear, parts of the reaches being broken away and the wheels removed. Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section on one side of the rear half of the running-gear, showing both brackets of the diflerential gear case in section and the dust or gear case in elevation. Fig. 4 is an outside end view of the differential-gear case, one of the dustcases being detached and removed to one side. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through several modified forms of blocks which form the top and bottom separators or distance pieces for the difierential gear brackets. Fig. -6 is a vertical longitudinal section through one of the reach ends, showing the upright standard, the brace, and bearings in a normal state. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the other end of the reach and frame raised up, as is the case in traveling over uneven ground. Fig. 8 is a sectional view in detail of one of the front pivot-axles. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of one of the pivotaxles.

In a detail description of the invention similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

From Fig. 1 it will be seen that the front and rear framework of the running-gear constitute more than a mere axle and an axlecasing and that each end is composed of a strong form of bridgework consisting of upper supporting members B and B, arranged in parallel relation to lower truss members A and A, and that the outer ends of said members are strongly anchored in bearingvbrackets F and F, which have parallel sockets H and H adapted to receive the frame members A and A, B and B. It will be readily seen that in the construction of this gear the members A and A, B and B may be somewhat longer or shorter and the width of the frame altered to suit the required Wheeltrack without involving any change of parts and that such change in width or length can easily be made when desired.

D designates the reaches, which connect the front and rear frames of the running-gear. The reach ends D are joi'ntedly mounted in the standards 0 by means of a male and female bearing D and O the latter consisting of a concavity in the standards (J. (See Figs. 6 and 7.) The standards 0 are interposed between the top and bottom members A and A, B and B. The male end D of the reaches has a substantial and durable socket-bearing in said standards 0 and are held in position by a concave nut L and lock-nut O. The male end D rests against a shoulder D on the end extension D of the reach. The parts are neatly fitted, and the connections are strong and devoid of any play that might cause objectionable noises, but at the same time admit of a desirable flexibility between the reaches D and the standards G, as shown in Fig. 7. t The lower ends of the brace-rods C have substantially the same bearings.

13" designates a male cone-bolt adjustably fitted in the lug M of the brace, and L is a lock-nut which locks-the cone-bolt when the proper adjustment is found. The cone of the bolt D is provided with a socket-bearing O in a clip L, similar to the bearing in the standard C for the reach end D per ends of the clips L are concaved, as at O, to suitably embrace the bottom of the lower frame members A and A. The opposite ends M of the braces C are fitted around the reach extensions D and held in normal position by a sleeve D, which incloses the reach extensions D, and have a suitable spring K to force said sleeve D away from the standard 0, and thus keep the frame in its normal position, and at the same time, in case that either corner of the frame is lifted, the action will compress the spring K and slide the sleeve D back toward the standard 0, thereby making a very flexible brace-andreach connection and at the same time a very rigid and durable gear. As will be seen, the standards 0 may be set at any desired distance apart and the reaches D in this way set any desired width without changing the distance from the ground or altering any part of the construction. This is indispensable, owing to the fact that the public demand requires a varietyof widths in reaches.

I have found many cases where the difierential gear was not wanted in the center of the frame. Therefore to meet these requirements 1 have provided a differential-gear case which may be located in the center or at either side of the center, as will be seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The differential-gear case is of special construction and will be described as follows: The upper and lower parallel frame members A B and A B are connected to brackets E each of which has parallel sockets E and E, into which the inner ends of the frame members are fitted. The sockets E and E are connected by a web E the whole constituting a bracket of suitable strength. These brackets E are held apart by a separator or distance block E, which is adapted to the style and size of differential gear used. (The differential gear being no part'of the present invention is not shown.) Several modifications of the distance-pieces E are shown in Fig. 5 andconform to the outline ofthe differential gear, which is shown in dotted lines within the distance-pieces. Said distance-pieces may be made of any desirable width. The brackets E are held in place by suitable fastening devices, such as bolts E The up-' On the front and rear sides of the brackets there are placed suitable dust-caps E E, which complete the ditferential-gear case. Fig. 4 shows one of these dust-caps detached and removed to one side. The dust-caps are fastened to the brackets E by any suitable meanssuch, for example, as screws, which penetrate ears E and openings E in the brackets. The lower frame member A is adapted to receive the rear axle, usually divided as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. I have provided in the lugs I and E of brack ets F and E suitable openings E and I for bearings, and in practice I may use interchangeable bearings in these openings. The construction admits of a change of bearings, which may be made in a few moments. The lugs E and I receive the rear axle H, the axle and the lower frame member A forming the lower part of the rear half of the runninggear, which has no direct connection with the reaches D other than through means of the standards C. The front lugs F have two parallel sockets H and H Fig. 8, adapted to receive the upper parallel frame member 13, and an opening H at right angles to said sockets to receive the pivot member H of axle H. H is a steering-lever rigidly connected to the part 1-1 of said axle by means of nut H H is a rod connecting the steering-levers H. Any steering device (not shown) may be attached to this connecting-rod.

The next feature in the construction of my improved running-gear relates to the springrests G and G, which may be placed any distance apart and yetv not alter the height of the springs from the ground, and, further, said spring-rests may be used at three points or more on the running-gear, as will be seen by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, where the spring-rests are indicated at G and G Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In arunning-gear for vehicles, upper and lower parallel frame members, brackets having upper and lower parallel sockets in which the ends of said parallel members are fitted, and vertical openings in said brackets, and angular pivotal axles mounted in said vertical openings, the axle portion of said pivotaxles being in alinement with the lower member of the two parallel frame members, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination. of two substantially parallel frame members, brackets having upper and lower parallel sockets into which the inner ends of said parallel frame members are fitted, brackets constituting portions of a gear-case, and adapted to receive a bearing-box, said brackets having upper andlo wer parallel sockets into which the inner ends of said frame members project, and dust-proof caps united to said brackets and constituting the other portions of said gear-case.

3. In a running-axle for vehicles, the combination of upper and lower frame members, a power-transmitting member mounted on the lower frame member, and a differential-gear case provided with adjustable separator or distance blocks.

4. In arunning-gear for vehicles, the combination of a difierential-gear case, side plates or brackets having parallel sockets, separator or distance blocks, and removable dustcases.

5. In a runningear for vehicles, the combination of upper and lower parallel frame members, two alined axles, a difierential gear mounted on their adjacent ends, a housing for said differential gear, the side walls of said housing providing substantially parallel sockets adapted to receive the inner ends of the frame members, and separator or distance blocks within said housing.

6. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of a front and rear frame each consisting of two parallel members, reaches connecting said front and rear frame, standards mounted on the ends of said reaches, and a swivel connection between said standards and reaches.

7. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of a front and rear frame each consisting of two substantially parallel members, two substantially parallel reaches interposed between said frames, and standards mounted between the parallel frame members, the ends of the reaches being mounted in said standards.

8. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination'of front and rear frames each consisting of two parallel members, reachesinterposed between said frames, slidable sleeves inclosing the ends of said reaches, and yielding means controlling said sleeves.

9. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of parallel frame members, reaches connecting said frame members, slidable sleeves inclosing the ends of said reaches, and

tension-springs inclosed within said sleeves.

10. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of frames, reaches connecting said frames, said reaches having yielding end connections,with springs therein, and braces connecting the ends of said reaches to the frame members.

11. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of frames, reaches connecting said frames, said reaches having flexible end connections consisting of a male and female joint and springs.

12. In a running-gear for vehicles, thecom bination of frame members,connecting-standards with openings therein, concave and convex surfaces concentric with said openings, and reaches having yielding ball-and-socket connections with said standards.

- 13. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of frame members, said frame members being parallel throughout their lengths, connecting-reaches, braces having one end provided with an opening to receive the reach, and the other adjustably connected to the frame.

14. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of a frame-brace, an adj usting-cone having a shank extending through one end of said brace, and means for locking the same to proper adjustment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I-IUGI-I L. WVARNER.

Witnesses:

R. J. MGUARTY, CAROLYN M. THEOBALD. 

